Epic Family Road Trip – Part 2

If you are just joining us, please check us out here on our Epic Family Road Trip – Part 1.

Yellowstone National Park 

Planning our itinerary for Yellowstone National Park was as detailed as the road trip itself. There is so much to see in so little time. Our hotel was located just outside the West Entrance but to get the most of our trip, we decided to enter the park through the Northeast entrance and make our way to the West Entrance. We really wanted to stay inside the park but all lodging was booked solid. You can opt to camp inside the park but I wanted a comfortable bed and it gets pretty cold in the night.

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Driving up on Beartooth Highway we were just amazed at the beautiful scenery. I was thinking it would just be like what we have seen so far to get to a destination but WOW… We had to stop and take in the sights and the fresh, clean air. The temperature dropped considerably the higher you go up. I also was not expecting to see snow here and especially during this time of year. (July) Good thing we packed us some light sweaters.

The boys had been watching American Ninja Warriors lately and love that show. Why not be like them and run across this wide open land. Here they are pretending to be American Ninja Warriors jumping on the rocks. It was good for them to move around since the drive was so long and dreadful at times. We were a bit behind schedule as we did not expect to spend so much time exploring all this splendor. But definitely worth it.

Entering through the Northeast Entrance was not as busy as I thought. The first place we saw after entering the park was Lamar Valley. You will see that everything about Yellowstone National Park is picturesque. And so many wildlife we encountered.

We continued our way to Mammoth Hot Springs and the many stops along the way before heading towards the West Entrance where we would check in for the evening.

West Yellowstone is a very popular spot. It is located outside the West Entrance and is considered the gateway community to Yellowstone National Park. There are lots of lodging and restaurants there but make sure you book ahead of time. Brandin’ Iron Inn was our home base for the next few days. We love that they had a complimentary breakfast. We did not have to worry about figuring that piece out. Each day was carefully planned with an early morning start to beat the crowd. We packed our cooler with water bottles and snacks. And for lunch, we would stop at a restaurant inside the park.

There is so much to do and see here. The boys were definitely troopers. So much getting in and out of the car. And all the walking they had to do. We are proud of them! Even though they complained every step of the way. We wish we stayed longer to be able to enjoy it all but will need to make a second trip out here pretty soon.

One of my best memories here was all the wildlife sightings we had. Especially while driving and people would stop to see. This happened quite often where cars would back up for quite some times. You won’t be able to see that anywhere else. At least not from where we live.

Grand Teton National Park

Off to our next stop! We decided to leave Yellowstone National Park through the South Entrance. We are so glad we did as we discovered Grand Teton National Park. We did not plan to stop there but decided to enjoy the scenery and let the boys go for a little swim. The water was cold but they were adamant on swimming and looking for fish as the water was super clear.

What a great stay here at Yellowstone National Park! We enjoyed all aspect of the stay even the crowds. Just make sure to allow enough time to get from one place to another.

If you missed the beginning of our road trip, check us out here on our Epic Family Road Trip – Part 1. To continue on to our next destination, click here. We will be visiting family in Denver, CO, and Tulsa, OK.

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